Friday, June 28, 2013

My Cousin's Gettin' Married at the Methodist Church....

"Love one another and you will be happy.  It's a s simple and as difficult as that."  ~Michael Leunig

Reba did say it best with the song from which I stole this blog title.  It's so catchy, I love it!

But really though, tomorrow is a big day in our family.  The little redheaded kid below is getting married.  (Seriously, how darn cute were we??)
Feeding Whisper - 1985
Over the past 28 years, we've had a lot of adventures together, Cousin Whitney and me.  From being thrown off a horse who spooked due to a camera flash, to confetti eggs at Easter, to her having to get help when I broke my tail bone, to George Strait concerts, to trips literally all over the world, many of my favorite memories involve her.

White House - Washington, DC - 2006

Unidentified Bar - Williamsburg, Va - 2006


Cully, Switzerland - 2009

Snorkeling Excursion - Cozumel, Mexico - 2007

Red River - Family Ski Trip - 2010

Ute Lake - Father/Daughter Ski Trip - 2012

College Station  - Bachelorette Trip - 2013

Albuquerque - George Strait Concert - 2013

Red River - The Lift House - 2012

There is no one in the world who deserves happiness more than her.  I can't wait to stand next to her tomorrow when she says I do and becomes a Mrs.  Happy Wedding Day Eve, Cousin Whitney!!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Things I'm Thankful For...

“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything." ~Thomas Merton

I was just thinking about all the things I'm thankful for and thought I'd jot a few down to share with ya'll this Thursday!

Thankful Thursdays Button

The Fontenot Four
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- SoulMate Friend started a blog.  SHE STARTED A BLOG!  I seriously just about screamed in my office when I found out, and, of course, rushed right over to read it.  You should too.  Here's the link.  She's brilliant.  And the sweetest person ever.  And an amazing writer.  And one of my favorite people.  If I were you, I'd read her blog instead of mine.  No, seriously.  I would.  Now go.

Me and SoulMate Friend - Homecoming -  2008
-  The ability to run.  I've been complaining to anyone who will listen about how flippin' hot and humid it is here in this new home of mine.  I'm talking, you go running at 5:30 am and are still soaking wet and your glasses fog up kind of hot and humid.  And yesterday my legs were so sore I had to swap out my usual heels for flats.  But then I saw a woman in a wheelchair when I was driving home from the gym.  And I was reminded that instead of moaning and groaning, I should just be thankful.

OKC Half Marathon 2013

-  The kindness of strangers.  Last week, after a particularly stressful Tuesday, I found a loaf of homemade banana bread on my door with a note from a sweet woman who is part of the "bread baking team" at the church I attended on Sunday.  God speaks to us through kind strangers and carbs, I was reminded.

-  A loving family.  Sometimes, my family can stress me out.  You've never seen a bunch of people who are so up in each other's business all the time.  Basically like that tv show Brothers and Sisters except that we're conservatives, we're country, and we don't have money like that.  We're frankly complete insanity.  But you know what?  Those crazy people love me no matter what.  And that makes all the rest just fine by me.

Family Thanksgiving 2012

- Chocolate.  It just makes me feel better.  That's really all there is to it.

- College Roomie.  The professional wedding photographer snapped this shot and it just makes my heart happy.  That's what a photo of "best friends" looks like folks.
College Roomie's Wedding - May 2013

-  Airplanes.  Which are going to allow me to be back in God's country for Cousin Whitney's wedding in about half the time it would take to drive.  And I can sleep while getting there.  Score!

-  ND Friend.  Who is a rock star.  And did her first sprint triathlon last weekend.  Which has convinced me that I need to sign up for my own.  Please check out how cute she is AFTER completing a swim, bike and run.  Her hair looks perfect, her face is not flushed, not a drop of sweat on her.  Then she probably went home and made cookies for orphans or something.  I love that girl!

ND Friend is the one in the black.
You'll also recognized the male in the group as Tiny Dancer.
-  The ideas that Meg shared in this blog.  Here is my favorite part...

"but here’s the thing, and this is a relatively new thought for me, i wouldn’t trade my life for anyone else’s. because not everyone gets to have this experience. and maybe it’s lucky that i do. and others may live their lives better–but not with my peculiar flavor and music.  this is my lot and i’ll be damned if i don’t figure it out. and frankly i’d like to see how it all plays out. which is to say, i’m invested in the story. i’m invested in the story of my own life. which, i think, is not a bad place too be at twenty-seven."

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Believing 1+1 Can Equal 5

"When God blesses, I cannot complain that the details are not as I would have planned."  ~Katy at Whatever is Lovely

Things are fixin to get deep, kids. 

I absolutely love the above quote about taking and appreciating God's blessings when He gives them, and not complaining about the details.  I've been having to remind myself of this lately.  I got an amazing job opportunity, but it's a long way from home in a town where I know hardly anyone, and where the humidity is like 157% all the darn time.  I meet The Boy from Texas, and then immediately move 8.5 hours away for said job and only get to see him twice a month.  I buy a great house, but now have to learn to deal with things like oven fires and toilet floods and little ants in the cabinet and mowing the lawn.

While I appreciate the blessings (and I really, really do), I whine and worry and complain about the details.  And I know that is ridiculous.  But they're not ideal, those darn details.  Along these lines, I can't tell you how many times I've made the statement related to The Boy from Texas that I just don't see how "the math" can work out for us.  Meaning that I do not understand logistically how us dating while living on opposite ends of the second largest state in America and both having jobs we really like can work.

The other morning I was out on a run with one of the girls who works in my department (can I mention that a 3.5 mile run at 5:30 in the morning should not leave you feeling like you just did hot yoga....HOW is it this hot all the time???) and I told her my math conundrum.  She said that during a Bible Study she did last year, she read something about that very issue.

She said that we expect 1+1=2.  We understand how that works.  We are not thankful for surprised or anything when that is the result, because that's just math.  We don't need to have any faith or help from God to get that answer. 

But God can make  1+1=5.  And in that situation, when things work that never should, when amazing things happen that we couldn't imagine, we realize that it's God at work.  We are forced to have faith that somehow, despite what we know from the calculator, the answer can be 5. 

And what's more, God uses these situations for good.  They strengthen our faith.  They draw us closer to Him.  They teach us patience (which has to be my least favorite subject ever next to calculus!).  So instead of complaining and trying to figure all of this out on a calculator and beating my head against the wall, I'm trying to sit back, enjoy the blessings, and see what God can do with the math.  Because maybe the answer is 5 even though I don't understand it right now.  Maybe my job is not to understand, my job is just to believe.


False
via Pinterest


But I do think am going to have to figure out how to get rid of these little ants in the cabinet on my own....

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Weekend Recap

“In terms of days and moments lived, you’ll never again be as young as you are right now, so spend this day, the youth of your future, in a way that deflects regret. Invest in yourself. Have some fun. Do something important. Love somebody extra. In one sense, you’re just a kid, but a kid with enough years on her to know that every day is priceless." ~Victoria Moran

It's Tuesday folks, and that means we're closer to the freakin' weekend than we were yesterday!  I thought I'd give ya'll a little weekend recap of the happenings around here.

Sami's Shenanigans


 On Friday night, Soldier Cousin came to town!  I love that he's stationed within driving distance so we can hang out.  We ended up meeting up with BFF at the Dixie Chicken for a beer and just general conversation. Which somehow led to BFF suggesting that maybe I should consider getting some eggs harvested because my biological clock is ticking.  Just normal Friday afternoon conversation for me and BFF.  (We have an interesting relationship.)  After The Chicken, we headed to this amazing restaurant here in town called La Bodega for tacos with my New Roomie.  It was (by some miracle!) cooled off enough that we got to sit out on the patio, eat our tacos, and just hang out.  It was an awesome Friday night in my book.

But....I failed to take a single picture.  FAIL.

On Saturday, I was wide awake at 7 in the morning, while Soldier Cousin slept in like a good teenager.  So I ran a bunch of errands, balanced my checkbook, did some shopping.....wild and crazy, that's me!  After we grabbed some lunch, I took him on a tour of the A&M campus, including the ever-popular photo op at Kyle Field. Look how tiny he looks!!



Then it was time for a little road trip.  BFF, The Persuasion, Soldier Cousin and I headed to Waco.  First stop:  Baylor University to take some pictures to send to their biggest fan, Cousin Swiss Mister.  We drove all over that dang campus trying to find the bear habitat, where the mascots live.  We must have asked 5 people--Baylor students/alum, no doubt--and none of them could give us coherent directions.  Come on, people!  But we finally found them.  And they were taking a nap.  Grrr.  But we took the picture that Cousin Swiss Mister requested.  I don't think he was so impressed with my foam finger....GO POKES!

Check out the anatomy of taking this photo

Setting up the foam finger....

BFF thinking he was too important to get off the phone...

The money shot.
Then we headed off to check out the new football stadium being constructed.  Looked like a construction sight to me.  That's about all I can say.



And then, it was time for the main event.  Kiddo was playing an acoustic set at golf course/country club.  I've heard him play his guitar 100 times, but it was my first time seeing him play at a show.  He did great!

He looks a little Eric Church-ish, no?


Instructions to BFF here?  "Look cute."  

Love that kid!

Then we wrapped up the night with dinner/breakfast at Denny's (attached to a truck stop, no less) and the hour drive back home.  I'm way, way, way too old for this kind of thing.  Especially when I wake up at 7:30 on the dot Sunday morning.  I'll be trying to catch up on sleep for the rest of the week.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Meet the Cast Monday #46: The Boy from Texas (Part 1)

Ya'll are crazy.   

Yep, blog readers.  I mean you.

Crazy and awesome.  On Friday, I allowed questions for The Boy from Texas to be posted.    Well....we got some questions.  Over 75, to be exact.  It was insanity.  And hilarious.  The funniest questions award goes to Uncle Black Belt, whose list included things like "When would be a good time for me to interview your father, mother and priest?" and "In 50 words or less, what does don't touch my niece mean to you?" and "Do you own a van?"  I almost died laughing.

In order not to run the poor guy completely off, I told him that we'd just pick out a handful or so for him to answer now.  Maybe next week (after he has overcome the trauma of this little experience), he'll answer a few more, and we'll go on until they are done.  I will throw ya'll a bone, however, and let you see a picture of him.  Geez, I've gone soft.

With that, here is the first set of answers ala The Boy from Texas!  (My thoughts are in orange.)

1.  (From Loud Oklahoma Girl)  When and how did you and Tiff meet? 

Answer:  We met at the beginning of the OSU football season last year.  My good friend took me to Oklahoma to look at show steers and headed to Oklahoma City the night before the football game.  While we were there, we met Tiff and the girls for dinner that night and the game the next day.  The real reason why we went to Oklahoma was for my friend and Tiff's friend to go on a somewhat blind date.  We all had a great time and that's where Tiff and I met.  {And the Pokes won 84-0.  Important details, people.  Important details.  There was also some dancing involved, where I confirmed this dude was a good two-stepper.  He passed that test.  And he liked the Penny.  Also a critical detail.}
The football game where we met.....TBFT is in the black.
2.  (From Illinois Transplant)  Name something on your bucket list that you have yet to do.

Answer:  Travel overseas.   {I feel as though I should help him with this one.  I'll take one for the team.}

3.  (From Illinois Transplant)  What advice would you look back and give yourself at 18, 21 and 25?  {I absolutely love this question!!  Good work, friend!}

Answer:  At 18, I would have told myself to be more patient and have a more mild temper.  At 21, I would have told myself to be even more ambitious.  At 25, I would have told myself to enjoy the things that are around me even more because time is going by so fast.

4.  (From my mom)  What is your favorite childhood memory?

Answer:  Being able to remember times with my great grandfather and great grandmother.  {Family is important to him....someone mark that in the plus column, please!}

5.  (From Gut Girl, who is my former paralegal)  If you only had $25 in your pocket and it was Tiff's birthday, how you would spend the money to give her a day she would always remember?

Answer:  I would put $25 of gas in the car and we would go somewhere together where we had never been before.  It wouldn't matter what we did so long as we got to do something together.  {I would probably have voted for $15 of gas and the other $10 in ice cream, but beyond that, I kinda love this answer.}

6.  (From Uncle Black Belt)  What is the first thing you noticed about my niece?

Answer:  The first thing  noticed was that she was that she could talk anybody's leg off  {I'm not sure I like where this is headed....}, but that every word meant something.  The things she were saying were intelligent and kind and honest.  {Good save.}

7.  (From Flintstone) What is your full name, address, phone number, social security number, and any aliases you might go by????  

Answer:  {His attorney advises him to plead the Fifth.}

Friday, June 21, 2013

Pretty Sure I'm Gonna Regret This....

For those of you who are not my friends on Facebook, my mother created quite a firestorm last week when she suggested that there be a Meet The Cast Monday blog on The Boy from Texas.  And then, everyone I know joined in.  I'm talking former teachers, best friends, relatives, friends of friends....it was insane.  Thanks, Mom.
The start of all the trouble.

And, because I'm such a people pleaser, I am considering, considering only, trying to comply with this request.  Let's not all get too excited just yet.

College Roomie double crossed me and sided with my mother, suggesting that I let my blog readers pose questions for The Boy from Texas to answer.
The double-crossing continuation of said trouble.
I'm not making any promises.  He might think y'all are all crazy and not want to be associated with this nonsense (that's sure what he should think if he doesn't!) whatsoever.

But....in the hypothetical event that The Boy from Texas were to agree to answer your questions, and in the hypothetical event I let this happen.......now is your chance.

Ask away.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Haight, The Space Needle, The George Bush Library

My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very long.” ~Buffalo Bill

I'm quite behind on recapping the last three adventures I had during my two months off of work.  So let me fill you in today on visiting the most famous hippie hang out in America, a national landmark, and a Republican President's library.  I'm well rounded, you have to give me that!

The Haight 

My parents and I headed to the west coast to spend a few days eating our way through one of my favorite cities in the world, San Francisco.  And eat we did.  We hit up most of my favorite restaurants, our favorite bars, and Ben and Jerry's.  It was awesome.  We did the Red Bus Tour (which I had never done before and really enjoyed), the Alcatraz Night Tour (which was fun, but freezing!!), and took my mom to do some shopping in Haight-Ashbury (and let her reconnect with her inner hippie).  It was great to get some fun time with them!

Me and Dad at our favorite Irish Pub


Alcatraz Cell House



Bus Tour

Mom connecting with her 1960's past



At our favorite restaurant in San Francisco

Dad singing Jambalaya with a street performer. 


They're cute, those two crazies.

The Clampetts invade the Haight

Boat ride to Alcatraz
Family photo at the bridge.

The Space Needle

After College Roomie's wedding, I spent a couple of days in Seattle with Gonzaga Friend.  I had never been to Seattle before, and I really enjoyed it!  It's a beautiful city, great food, and lots of fun events were going on.  We checked out the Folk Life Festival (TONS of dirty hippies playing random instruments and not wearing any shoes), saw the Chihuly exhibit, went up the Space Needle, and walked all over town.  Plus I got the chance to catch up with Gonzaga Friend, which I always love.  She is one of the sweetest people I know, and we always have the best conversations about life!  Oh, and she introduced me to pepperoni and pineapple pizza.  Yep.  You heard me.  Amazing.

Farmer's Market

Guys throwing the fish

Flowers everywhere!





Original Starbucks

Chihuly Exhibit






Folk Life Festival

Space Needle



View from the top of the Space Needle



Me and Gonzaga Friend


Public beach in Seattle
Sailboat at sunset

The George Bush Library

Poor Cousin Whitney.  We had this big trip to San Antonio planned for her Bachelorette Weekend, but then the oven fire happened and I needed to be here to deal with that, so she ended up coming to my house.  Which is cute and all, but it's no River Walk.  Don't worry, we're working on planning a trip there again soon!

But regardless, I think we did a good job of having a fun weekend around here.  There was lot of of ice cream, giant pina colladas, some grilling, getting dressed up for a fancy Italian dinner, shopping, laying in the sun, her first time to eat Pei Wei, and a visit to the George Bush (the first one) Presidential Library.  I feel quite sure that we were their first Bachelorette Party visitors.  We're crazy like that.
Headed out to dinner
Burgers, jalapeno poppers, grilled corn

Cousin Whitney at the Presidential Library


Replica Oval Office

Cousin Whitney in charge!